Despite a statement this morning by a Vatican official, the Pope’s own words about conscientious objection being a human right and his private meeting with Kim Davis indicate support for the universal right of conscientious objection, even for government officials. The meeting with Kim Davis was initiated by the Vatican, and the private meeting occurred at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, September 24. This meeting was a private meeting without any other members of the public present.

On September 23, the meeting for the next day was confirmed by the Vatican official. On the morning of September 24, the meeting was again confirmed with Kim Davis, with instructions that security would arrive for a pickup at 1:15 p.m. Kim and Joe Davis were picked up by security at the hotel in which she and her husband were staying and driven to the Vatican Embassy. Kim and Joe Davis waited for the private meeting with the Pope. There were no other people in the room. This was a private meeting between Pope Francis and Kim and Joe Davis. This was not a meeting with other people in which Kim and Joe Davis were a part, but rather a private meeting with no other people in the room except Vatican security and personnel.

That statement by Reueters (sic) citing a ‘senior Vatican official, who delined to be named,’ is false. There was no line of people before, near, or around Kim Davis. Had Kim Davis been in a line of people or been seen by anyone outside of Vatican personnel, we would not have been able to keep her visit secret. Kim’s face is easily recognizable. When we walk through airports as large as LaGuardia, Philadelpia, and Reagan, people recognize her and give her encouragement. This was a private meeting with no other people except for the Pope and select Vatican personnel

Here’s the Vatican‘s statement from this morning in its entirety:

The brief meeting between Mrs. Kim Davis and Pope Francis at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC has continued to provoke comments and discussion. In order to contribute to an objective understanding of what transpired I am able to clarify the following points:

Pope Francis met with several dozen persons who had been invited by the Nunciature to greet him as he prepared to leave Washington for New York City. Such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the Pope’s characteristic kindness and availability. The only real audience granted by the Pope at the Nunciature was with one of his former students and his family.

The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects.

What is she gonna say now? The pope lied? And those pictures were proof of what? Do they show Kim and the Pope together? No, the pope isnt in any of the pictures. And a dark picture of a car, is only that – a picture of a car. Give it up, Kim, you pathetic lying attention whore. Nobody’s falling for your bullshit.

I don’t think the Matty Staver/Kimmy Davis campaign to now discredit the Pope and The Vatican and, in effect, call them liars is a smart move. In fact, it’s about as arrogant as you can get. Probably one of the most disliked and least-respected people in the country right now going up against one of the most-respected in the world? Not a PR scenario I’d like to be on the losing end of. And the photos prove nothing: rosary beads that The Vatican has already said the Pope gives to everyone in line? A picture of a minivan? Head shots of Kim and Jethro sitting in a lobby, maybe just waiting to use a bathroom? Proof of a private audience? I think not.

This article is disappointing and something along the lines of what I would expect from FOX news. This article is exactly the kind of thing her supporters are hoping people will write to play perfectly in to their narrative.

As I said before, two consenting adult bigots meeting, what would one expect. Now the Vatican wants to downplay it and Davis wants to claim the meeting as a triumph, so what? By a show of hands, how does this change a single thing in the lives of bogots everywhere?

There seem to be some inconsistencies in both stories, but then again, look at the parties involved. In any case, I loath them both and they only serve to keep LGBT people levels below themselves…

Yeah, we’re all allowed to be “conscientious objectors”… we also put bigoted morons in jail for contempt of court while they STILL collect that good $80,000 a year pay. Ugh, I’m done with these assclowns!!

Why does she even care what he has to say or if he even supports her she is not Catholic

October 3, 2015 at 2:10am

mdhess

I’m not buying spin by either the Vatican or liberal apologists who want to rehabilitate the Pope’s image after this fiasco. The Catholic Church is the preeminent historical purveyor and driver of hatred and violence (including murder) against our community. We ought not be satisfied that this Pope is any different than any previous purveyor of hate until he issues, in writing, an official apology to the LGBT community on behalf of the Catholic Church and a promise that his Church will not continue to trespass into secular society to perpetuate the denial of our equal treatment in law or condone such trespass by any Christian. The Vatican can put up or shut but I suspect Francis is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing and the usual hate that comes from this Church isn’t going away anytime soon.

The Pope was in the US to lend his authority to the so-called “Festival of Families” at Philadelphia which – if the comment on EWTN was anything to go by – was pointedly anti-gay marriage. So Pope Frank’s secret meeting with Kim Davis would have been entirely appropriate. There is little doubt that he encouraged this felon with the morals of a sewer rat to believe that, so long as she has an imaginary friend, she is above the law and morally superior to gay men and women whom she can deny the right to marry because she disapproves of who they love. It’s outrageous behaviour on the part of the Pope.

I’d like to know how all of you that say the Pope is lying know this for a fact? You know him personally that he told you or you know someone at the Vatican that told you this? And why are we still giving this woman any attention at all? For fucks sakes. Drop it already.

OK the photos are selfies. Why not show the whole room if they were alone. Also, when does a Evangelical Christian seek out and foster a relation with a Catholic? Aren’t they heathens and enemies? OK lets move on now. The Pope is gone, and so should Kim.

October 3, 2015 at 8:10am

Dakotahgeo

I NEVER trusted Msssssss. Kimmy and I have very little respect for el Papa now! Take your pick!

October 3, 2015 at 8:10am

Sweetie Pie

When it comes to gay marriage both Kim and Francisco are irrelevant…it is a done deal

The Pope did not seek her out. She was picked by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano. The Pope did not even know he was meeting her and her 4th husband. The Vatican said they were blindsided. This is how they play. Lies and ambushes. The day before he met with a gay couple he knew he was meeting with. She is in this for the attention it bring her.

Wonder why it is the Other people who had audience like his old student was able to get a picture with the Pope. But none for media seeker. I think the bullshit flag should be thrown down on this.

October 3, 2015 at 10:10am

Alfredo

On FB, I have erased all posts relating to Kim Davis. And by the way: it’s a Pope’s duty to meet with as many people as want to meet him. I believe his side, not hers, since she represents the 666 Republican Party,which has no morals, conscience or love for anyone except itself.

and U should see me waiting to go to the DUNGEON to Meat…and the Car that is to pick me up….Oh wait that didn’t happen, Just like that FAT PIGS Meeting NEVER Happen…LIES LIES LIES…Pics say otherwise…and there R NONE ! ! !

The comments about conscientious objectors was not made by the Pope to Kim Davis. He did not meet with her in private. The comments are from an NBC reporter who interviewed Pope Francis on the plane after his U.S. visit. The Pope stated that conscientious objection was a human right but, he said that when your objections infringe on another’s rights or are harmful or bullying (these are my words as I don’t fully remember verbatim – but this was his statement) then your objections are not helpful in any way. He made it clear that people need to live together in peace and tolerance.

I don’t know how the nonsense about the private meetings, the car picking her up, and all that rot even got started. But I do know it changed some people’s opinions of the Pope from very positive to very negative. He does not promote intolerance. The Church will change, perhaps in the distant future, but Pope Francis has made significant strides within the Catholic organization, especially by continuing the church’s belief in science. No other sect of Christianity would even utter such a statement.

October 3, 2015 at 10:10am

woodin

Attention and media space on Davis should stop until she’s fired or quits her job.

Davis and certainly her attorney are manipulating the issue. Her attorney was recently exposed for planting pictures of pro pro-Davis rallies that had nothing to do with Davis or the marriage equality issue. Why do you think the Pope followed up with an clarification of his meeting with Davis. The Pope didn’the have to but he saw her manipulation first hand and shut it down.

captainburrito

It doesn’t matter because Kim Davis has succeeded in becoming the christian Kim Kardashian with her lawyer Mat Staver becoming Kris Jenner. Their goal is to keep her in the limelight until January when the Kentucky legislature meets again. Starve them of attention and their cause withers.

Captain Obvious

I particularly like that Kim Davis doesn’t wear make-up. Very few American women don’t wear make-up. In fact, they’re obsessed with lipstick, mascara, foundation, wrinkle-cream etc etc. Kim Davis has this independent streak which I like.

October 3, 2015 at 10:10pm

Realitycheck

Those pictures and statement prove absolutely nothing.
Anyone could have sent or rented the car, Davis is not seen with the pope,
and we all know the Pope has audiences with hundreds op people every day, they line up and get few seconds of time each, a rosary is given.

The real question, why would the Vatican lie about this? What to gain?
The pope has already stated his position marriage, and no surprise there.

Last, I suspect more people give Davis dirty looks at then support, when she walks at airports in NYC.
Several polls have shown the vast majority of americans, including christians
and republicans believe she should have done the job she is paid for.

Transiteer

So, who’s lying?? I bet Davis & Friends – they did fake a photo already eh. They live in lies and deceit. Good Christians. Showing us all what a waste of time and space this fictional religion really is.

October 4, 2015 at 1:10am

silveroracle

Can we hit the OFF SWITCH on her now?!

October 4, 2015 at 2:10am

Giancarlo85

JPVG1085

I am an atheist. What the pope did or did not do is typical of organized religion, as has been cited previously it is based upon ‘lies and deceit’. Religion is responsible for at least as much misery as war.
Furthermore no one should ever have to read or hear about Davis again, EVER.
The entire series of incidents involving that woman is nonsensical.
Danke!

Michael1500

I’m simply amazed at how obsessed Queerty is with Kim Davis. Who is authorizing this mindless coverage of her? I do believe if she dropped her pen and farted while bending over to pick it up, Queerty would be there to catch it on audio.

October 4, 2015 at 11:10pm

americangayatheist

The Vatican’s ambassador vin Washington, D.C. (a known homophobe and hate monger to the LGBT community) is the scumbag who arranged the meeting for Liberty Counsel’s poster child of bigotry, Kim Davis. The Pope was not in the loop according to the Vatican. I have no problem believing the ambassador sent a car for this low-life inbred hick and arrange all this crap. That does not imply that the pope is not still an institutional homophobe (he is – but not a personal one since he does have friends who are gay whom he appear to care about). I’m sure if the pope knew for sure who this bitch was he would have NOT met with her because he wanted to avoid controversy in his visit to the US. Also the Vatican said it was a meeting with many other people not a PRIVATE audience. Now, who is lying? LMFAO, considering the two sources, you’re guess is as good as mine!

October 5, 2015 at 12:10pm

1EqualityUSA

Michael1500 siad, “I do believe if she dropped her pen and farted while bending over to pick it up, Queerty would be there to catch it on audio.”

Yeah, and it would sound like a 1,000 angels singing, angels in unison, songs flying out of her, an Ode de Methane, noxious effluvium in C minor, a celestial awakening that cannot be blamed on the dog.

October 5, 2015 at 2:10pm

NJjoe

I can’t believe a word from either side. Check please!

October 5, 2015 at 4:10pm

NJjoe

I think we’re all a little obsessed because of all this shit coming from Kim Davis. One hateful clerk who was played brilliantly on SNL this past weekend. We won’t be talking about her much longer. She keeps herself in the media, we can’t help hearing her name and reminded of the bigoted woman who is most likely the worse Christian you could ever run into. She’s not even Catholic and she’s boasting by taking selfies at Vatican Embassy…I thought selfies were for 15 year old girls?

Billysees

” Several polls have shown the vast majority of americans, including christians
and republicans believe she should have done the job she is paid for. ”

I’ve posted this previously and think it’s important to do it again —

I…must be obedient to…the Word of God, Davis once wrote.

Then why isn’t she obedient to Romans 13:1-5?

In [brackets] is why she went to jail.

1. Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

2. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and [they will be punished].

4. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for [they have the power to punish you]. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.

5. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

I personally think that one’s conscience can trump scripture advice for any reason.

But how can that be if your going to say ‘I must be obedient to the Word of God’?.

October 6, 2015 at 8:10am

tusgold

This may have been posted already, but did you know she got pregnant by her third husband while married to her first. See in Kentucky you can be a pic, sorry if I offended our four legged friends. on Saturday night, pick up a bible Sunday and run for elective office Monday

October 6, 2015 at 9:10am

tusgold

I am a political consultant I usually do media buys and schedule the candidates events Congressmen, governors, state senators you get the drift OK

Kim Davis…oath buster she has never taken an oath she won’t break! Marriage vows Busted that oath in pieces Oath of Office Tore through that oath oath to uphold the Constitution Hell it’s they very bedrock our country was founded on I slam dunked that one

***Kim is taking request for new oaths she can brekl please e-mail them. Who Ya Gonna Call OATH Buster